Atmospheric pollutant emissions on the decline in France since the early 2000s

Developed by the General Commission for Sustainable Development (CGDD), with the participation of the General Directorate for Energy and Climate (DGEC), the Central Air Quality Monitoring Laboratory (LCSQA) and associations approved for air quality monitoring (AASQA), this report confirms significant progress in terms of reducing atmospheric pollutants over the period 2000-2020, nationally and locally. The report also notes that exceeding regulatory air quality thresholds for health protection affects fewer areas. This reduction in pollutant emissions follows the implementation of air quality action plans, particularly in the sectors of industry, transport, residential heating and agriculture.

The measures taken in 2020 to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, in particular the limitations of travel and economic activity, have also led to a further sharp drop in emissions from the transport and industrial sectors. 2 deaths were thus avoided thanks to this drop in the levels of pollutants present in the ambient air, according to a survey by Public Health France, based on the inevitable link between exposure to atmospheric pollutants and harmful effects on health.

Air quality actions in the most polluting sectors

Transport, particularly road traffic, is the primary source of nitrogen oxide emissions. In application of the mobility orientation law (LOM) of 2019, several communities have set up low-emission mobility zones (ZFE-m): the city of Paris, the metropolitan areas of Greater Paris, Lyon and Grenoble, and more recently the metropolis of Rouen and the city of Reims. By 2025, the Climate and Resilience Law provides for the establishment of ZFE-m in agglomerations of more than 150 inhabitants. The ZFE-m system is based on the Crit'Air sticker, which is compulsory for driving in low-emission mobility zones. To date, 000 million stickers have been issued. To support users in their transition, the State has also introduced aid for the acquisition of low-polluting vehicles (the ecological bonus and the conversion bonus, aid for recharging electric vehicles) and has increased support for the deployment of bicycle use.

In addition, last July the State released a plan to halve by 2030 the atmospheric pollutants induced by wood heating, the leading source of fine particle emissions in France. Users are supported in the replacement of their devices with the MaPrimeRénov 'devices (aid for heating work) and the Air Bois fund, which aims to increase the renewal of domestic wood-burning appliances by 3% per year. Several actions are in preparation concerning the quality of the fuel used, which is essential for limiting pollutant emissions.